Volunteers plan trip to assist Oklahoma tornado victims

Published: Monday, June 3, 2013 5:30 a.m. CDT

CRYSTAL LAKE – Local volunteers are headed to Oklahoma for a week to help with cleanup efforts in areas hit worst by a tornado last month.

More than 10 residents will make the trek Saturday to clean up debris left behind from the F5 tornado May 20 that killed at least 24 people, destroyed countless homes, and leveled an elementary school, killing seven children inside.

“We are going down there to help out any way we can,” said Bernie Boyle, who is organizing the trip. “It’s hard to describe, but everything is all over the place. We’ll do whatever is asked of us.”

More bad weather Friday killed at least 10 more people in Oklahoma.

While there, the group will stay at the Church of the Harvest in Oklahoma City, Okla., about 10 miles from the hardest-hit area in Moore, Okla. Each day, the volunteers will be dispersed to different areas to help in any way they can.

Boyle, of Crystal Lake, twice last year went with a group of residents to Joplin, Mo., to help with tornado cleanup efforts there.

Reaching out for donations and volunteers, Boyle received contributions from as far away as New Jersey for the trip to Oklahoma. The group is still looking for someone willing to donate their time and construction equipment similar to a Bobcat or dump truck for the weeklong effort.